Contents

Introduction, Design, User Interface

Does tablet plus dock equal laptop replacement?

Late in December of 2011 we received the Transformer Prime for review. What we did not recieve, however, was the keyboard dock. High demand by journalists for a look at the company’s latest and greatest Transformer had left them short of docks, in turn leaving us short of a dock.

Now we’ve finally had our hands on one. Since it was shipped to us several weeks after the review Prime, we were able to give it our full attention. As with the original Transformer, the dock is one of the features that help the Prime stand out from the crowd – but that doesn’t mean it is automatically destined for greatness. If the Prime wants to act like a laptop, it will have to be able to compete with laptops – and that’s a tall order for a system without Windows or an x86 processor.

Besides a keyboard, the dock adds a few other specifications that are worth mentioning. Let’s take a look at them.

So, as with the previous dock, you’re not just buying a keyboard. You’re also receiving an extended battery with impressive capacity and some additional connectivity. Given the MSRP of $150, however, you’d kind of expect there to be more than just a keyboard.

Design

Like the tablet itself, the dock goes for an understated and elegant look. While the right and left sides of the dock are rounded, the forward edge actually comes to a bit an edge. You’re not going to dice tomatoes with this thing, but you might give yourself a sting if you accidently run you finger across the front too quickly.

Build quality is adequate. Panel separations are extremely visible along the edges, and there are four exposed screws on the bottom side of the dock. These are nit-picks, but not irrelevant. It’s normal to see these details on a laptop, but on mobile devices it’s rare to see inelegant manufacturing realities left so boldly exposed.

The docking mechanism itself is brilliantly designed. It consists of a wide U-shaped holster within which you’ll find two latches and a data connection. The latches help guide the connection home, so as long as you’re fairly close to the target, you can connect the tablet to the dock by applying just a bit of force. There’s minimal frustration associated with docking, which is what you want from this sort of peripheral.

ASUS has gone to the trouble of placing soft-touch material inside the dock mechanism. This prevents scratches and ensures that docking doesn’t result in any disturbing metal-on-metal or plastic-on-plastic noises. The latches themselves are also whisper-quiet.

Another nice feature of the latch is its tight operation. A docked tablet may look like a laptop, but its weight distribution is completely different. It tends to be top heavy, which makes a weak and wobbly latch a pain in the butt. You’ll find no such problems here – another indication that ASUS hasn’t been cutting corners.

User Interface

While the Prime’s dock may include a full keyboard, the limitations of its physical size become apparent the moment you begin to type. If you’ve used a 10.1” netbook before and you had no issue with it you should have no issue here. But if you found the netbook cramped, this dock will give you some problems.

I definitely fall into the latter camp. My palms are far too large for the available palmrest space, which leaves them constantly brushing across the dock’s uncomfortable forward edge. ASUS has done an excellent job stretching the island style keys across every available millimeter of space, but there’s still not enough room for my fingers to spread out, and I constantly stumble over keys as a result.

Putting these concerns aside, however, the keyboard seems like a good pick for people with hands that will fit it. The keys don’t have great travel, but they’re more responsive and easier to touch-type with than you’d expect.

The layout is a mixed bag. All the typical keys are as large as possible and well positioned. What I don’t like are the new keys that control Android functions.

The position where you’d find a Windows key is now taken up by an Android home key, and that’s fine. But where’s the key for opening the multi-tasking view? And why is the back key (it’s different from the backspace key) located where I’d normally find escape? And why is there no app tray button? Getting to the app tray on an Android tablet is actually a bit of a journey, since Google decided to tuck it away in the upper right side of the desktop.

I’m not a fan of the touchpad, either. It works, to be sure. And it works particularly well in conjunction with Android multi-touch gestures. You can swipe through web pages and documents all day long with this thing. But as a precision device it’s small and finicky. Clicking on small icons or interface buttons can be an issue. Lining up the cursor properly can take some doing, which may make you wonder why you didn’t just use the touchscreen.

That’s a good point that I’veThat’s a good point that I’ve certainly had to deal with when using the keyboard dock, but I hadn’t thought of. It is pretty annoying to use the touchscreen when the keyboard dock is being used.

You can simply remove theYou can simply remove the tablet… Hence transformer… This argument that you cannot use it just as a tablet is a bit ridiculous.
The author has personal bias because of big hands… For me, that makes this review fairly un-reliable. The point you drive home in your conclusion centres around this fact.
I would like to have seen a more objective review

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I’ve had the opportunity toI’ve had the opportunity to play with my friends transformer prime recently, and it’s a little weird to get used to. It doesn’t function like a laptop in the sence that it’s all single click and familiar shortcuts {like f5 refresh, alt f4 close, ect,} don’t work. It’s a cool little tablet and the keyboard does make documents way easier, but it’s not quite “a tablet that turns into a laptop” that it seems to be

I’ve had the opportunity toI’ve had the opportunity to play with my friends transformer prime recently, and it’s a little weird to get used to. It doesn’t function like a laptop in the sence that it’s all single click and familiar shortcuts {like f5 refresh, alt f4 close, ect,} don’t work. It’s a cool little tablet and the keyboard does make documents way easier, but it’s not quite “a tablet that turns into a laptop” that it seems to be

Wow, no comment about theWow, no comment about the full-sized USB slot and the full-sized SD card slot. These are exceptionally valuable additions. Personally I’ve been using it for the past two weeks and I’m 6′ 5″ tall and have to problems with the keyboard, but that really is a personal experience. I can see where you are coming from there. I don’t really care about the trackpad since it is still a touch screen tablet even when attached and I just use the screen to move around. A bluetooth keyboard and mouse would give you what you wanted in that regard, and you’d still have the value of the extra battery life and the USB/SD card slots.

I have the TF201, 64 GB, CGI have the TF201, 64 GB, CG with matching dock, and I have people from all departments coming to my desk for “show and tell”. This dock really completes the tablet and after my first week with the tablet and dock, I can’t tell you enough to order both — you won’t be disappointed.

I see some thumbs down from people who don’t have this duo – pity, pity.

Do you need to remove the rubber tabs on either side of the data connection before inserting into the dock? I am not sure if they get removed or if I need to push harder to get the Prime into the docking station.

i have both the tablet andi have both the tablet and docking station and could not be happier. the one item that the reviewer is least pleased with is the size of the keyboard. there is a std usb connection so one could quite easily place a usb dongle in it for periods of extensive writing enabling use of a wireless keyboard. thus gaining the ease of a full sized keyboard, all of twenty bucks, as well as retaining the extended battery life. when done it is just as simple to remove that dongle for the wireless keyboard and then use the usb connection for any other device you may have or not. personally i have a wireless mouse dongle in my usb but i have also tested both the wireless keyboard and a 1 tb external usb hard drive and all work just fine. there are so many options and it is a pure joy to work with regardless. considering my first pc ran windows 3.1, had a 250mb hard drive, a 9600 baud dialup modem and 256k of ram, cost right at $2500, the transformer prime is incredible.

At first all of my keybardAt first all of my keybard functioned. Now all the keys work with the exception of the moving mouse and left and right button are working.I have been very pleased with this device until now.I have even suggested this same system to all of my FaceBook friends.

Could you tell me where I canCould you tell me where I can get on internet the user manual for my asus transformer prime tf201 keyboard. I would like the full functionality to use every key on the keyboard

I have used the dock forI have used the dock for about a week now, and I love it. The typing is very easy, and I rarely ever have a problem with space. I do have huge hands though. And I still never have a problem, it certainly isn’t for everyone, but I enjoy it. The USB port, battery, keyboard, and SD card reader really makes this worth the money. just have to be more careful if you have large hands!

I’ve had my Transformer PrimeI’ve had my Transformer Prime for about a week, and just picked up the dock (keyboard) two days ago.

The Transformer Prime is, in my opinion, hands down the best Android tablet (and possibly the best tablet, period) on the market today!

The dock gives you a second option! If I’m going to be out of town for a few days, I’ll certainly take the dock with me. Additional battery life, easy to watch tablet on one of those fold down airplane tables, and if I need to shot off a quick e-mail, it’s serve in a pinch.

This reviewer is veryThis reviewer is very annoying in knocking this setup simply because of size. Er, hello? It’s the size of a netbook. I don’t give a flip what size your hands are, if you don’t mind working on a netbook, then you’re fine. I mean, comparing it to a full-size keyboard is idiotic. Why don’t you compare it to typing on the tablet’s pop-up keyboard instead? That seems more reasonable to me. And yes, I’m over 6ft and have large hands. You’ve just got to be reasonable with your expectations.

That’s like whining that the screen in this isn’t a 60-inch TV and knocking the product because of it. Or like complaining that it doesn’t park his car or doesn’t have the functionality of a full laptop. Whine, whine, whine. He even whines about the Android office products. I mean, seriously – who even uses the “advanced” features of Office anyway? Most people simply type relatively simple documents. Again, this is MOST people. Yes, I’m an advanced Office user, but I understand that I’m not going to be writing a full multimedia document with embedded automation and satellite uplink on this setup. Get real.

The Transformer Prime and keyboard looks like an amazing setup. Top performing tablet that can transform into a netbook with a real keyboard and insanely great battery life and USB/SD connectivity? I’ll take it.

I think Asus has really put out a nicely designed and conceived product. I don’t own one yet, but I’m definitely getting it soon.

I really like the Prime, neetI really like the Prime, neet piece of equipment. Issues I’ve had though are the screen coming away from the housing (quality issue raised elsewhere) and the fact that the keyboard has an odd shortcut key can anyone help with it?

The issue is this: the @ ket isn’t where it should be i hahve to press ‘shift + 2’ to get @. if I presss shift + the @ key I get the ” symbol. Can anyone suggest how I get this swapped back to the way it should be as annotated on the keyboard?

Is there a reason that when IIs there a reason that when I turn off my tablet it still pulls/drains battery life from the dock. Is that normal? Do I have to disconnect them each time they are not in use?

The Transformer Prime wasThe Transformer Prime was simply the best Android tablet out there until the Infinity came along. It is still pretty high end in my opinion. I have used mine for 8 months without the dock. The kids got me the keyboard dock for Christmas (I would never have gotten it for myself – thanks kids) and let me tell you, I love it. I always had an issue with the on screen keyboards in Android and I avoided typing in short emails, facebook updates or filling out forms in web pages on the tablet. That is, until I got the dock. Its a dream to type on. Its responsive and well laid out. The battery life alone is amazing but add in the USB port and the SD card slot and this has just become my favorite toy in the world. But did you see what I said there? Lets be honest here. These things were never meant to be laptop replacements. They are very expensive TOYS. Yes, you can do some light office work and such but these are more content CONSUMATION devices rather than content CREATION devices. My issue with the dock is the fact that there arent any really good cases that will hold the dock and the tablet in a nice clean manner. The one I have from Caseen is nice but its not perfect and unfortunately we will never see a proper case because how fast things change. I’ll deal with it. ASUS has done a great job on this product.